Proposition 132 Gill Nets

Recreational fishermen know all about gill nets. They call them indiscriminate, wasteful killers of marine life. They claim that gill nets deplete the sea of mammals, birds--and of the fish the anglers like to catch. To these fishermen, a law banning their use is the answer. Commercial fishermen use gill nets to make a living or supplement their income. They consider the nets to be highly efficient, but there is a sense of discomfort about the controversy over their use.

A San Diego judge Friday dismissed a fishing industry lawsuit aimed at overturning Proposition 132, the 1990 ballot measure that bans the use of gill nets in California coastal waters. Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress), the initiative's major sponsor, hailed the ruling by Superior Court Judge Arthur W. Jones as a victory for environmentalists and a vindication of the initiative process.

How will the passage of Proposition 132 affect sportfishing off the Southern California coast? The local gill net fleet largely targets halibut and white seabass, two species heavily fished for recreation. Bob Fletcher, president of the Sportfishing Assn. of California and a former deputy director of the Department of Fish and Game, said he expects a better balance between commercial and recreational interests.

Three years after voters approved an initiative outlawing gill nets in California waters, commercial fishermen have been ordered to pull their nets from the sea, the measure's boosters announced Friday. Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress), author of the 1990 ballot measure, said a San Diego County Superior Court judge rejected pleas this week by fishermen for a temporary reprieve from the ban, which took effect Jan. 1.

Three years after voters approved an initiative outlawing gill nets in California waters, commercial fishermen have been ordered to pull their nets from the sea, the measure's boosters announced Friday. Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress), author of the 1990 ballot measure, said a San Diego County Superior Court judge rejected pleas this week by fishermen for a temporary reprieve from the ban, which took effect Jan. 1.

Its campaign budget was small and its target narrow. And to add to the enigma, the author of the only environmental initiative to capture the hearts and votes of Californians on Tuesday wasn't even an environmentalist, but a Republican assemblywoman from conservative Orange County. Proposition 132, a modest measure that prohibits fishermen from using gill nets in California waters, passed, with 55.5% of the vote.

A San Diego judge Friday dismissed a fishing industry lawsuit aimed at overturning Proposition 132, the 1990 ballot measure that bans the use of gill nets in California coastal waters. Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress), the initiative's major sponsor, hailed the ruling by Superior Court Judge Arthur W. Jones as a victory for environmentalists and a vindication of the initiative process.

October 28, 1990 | DORIS ALLEN, Doris Allen heads the Committee to Ban Gill Nets and is a Republican member of the California Assembly from Cypress

Our coastal waters belong to all Californians and we all share responsibility for the stewardship of their resources. Proposition 132, the Marine Resources Protection Act of 1990, will go a long way toward ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy its abundant life.

How will the passage of Proposition 132 affect sportfishing off the Southern California coast? The local gill net fleet largely targets halibut and white seabass, two species heavily fished for recreation. Bob Fletcher, president of the Sportfishing Assn. of California and a former deputy director of the Department of Fish and Game, said he expects a better balance between commercial and recreational interests.

Its campaign budget was small and its target narrow. And to add to the enigma, the author of the only environmental initiative to capture the hearts and votes of Californians on Tuesday wasn't even an environmentalist, but a Republican assemblywoman from conservative Orange County. Proposition 132, a modest measure that prohibits fishermen from using gill nets in California waters, passed, with 55.5% of the vote.

Recreational fishermen know all about gill nets. They call them indiscriminate, wasteful killers of marine life. They claim that gill nets deplete the sea of mammals, birds--and of the fish the anglers like to catch. To these fishermen, a law banning their use is the answer. Commercial fishermen use gill nets to make a living or supplement their income. They consider the nets to be highly efficient, but there is a sense of discomfort about the controversy over their use.

October 28, 1990 | DORIS ALLEN, Doris Allen heads the Committee to Ban Gill Nets and is a Republican member of the California Assembly from Cypress

Our coastal waters belong to all Californians and we all share responsibility for the stewardship of their resources. Proposition 132, the Marine Resources Protection Act of 1990, will go a long way toward ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy its abundant life.